New Beginnings
by GoldenLadyKnight
Summary: Kel sets out on a mission to save a old friend.  During her mission, Kel learns a great deal about herself and how to open up to others.  Kel/Dom plus action.  Please review!
1. Chapter 1 A new mount

Chapter 1 – A new mount

Peachblossom and Kel had been a team for a very long time, since her page years to be exact. He may be a ferocious animal to his foes, but he and Kel had a profound friendship. One that could only be shared between a horse and his rider. However, after a bad gouge to his leg during a fight in the Royal Forest, Peachblossom was being forced into an early retirement, thus putting Kel in the terrifying position of purchasing a new war horse.

"I don't think I can do this, we have been a team for so long. I would trust that horse with my life." Kell told her old knight master Raoul.

Kel had, of course confronted Raoul for advise on this matter. He and his beautiful black stallion Drum worked together as well as Peachblossom and Kel did.

"It is true that this will be a tough experience, and getting used to a new mount will take some time. But think of Peachblossom, he deserves his retirement to greener pastures. He has served you well Kel, he owes you nothing." Raoul told the young Knight affectionately. He may have had his confrontations with the old mule, but he knew how important the stead was to Kel.

Kel and Raoul neared the markets in Pearlsmouth. Kel had originally wanted to purchase a new stead from Corus, but after seeing nothing that really suited her, she and Raoul had set out for Pearlsmouth for a holiday and a chance to explore a more 'exotic' animal. Their stay so far had gone uninterrupted, their days consisting of seeing the new stock in the horse market and exploring the famous city. The only news from home was the Third Company was going to be in the region and planned on staying in Pearlsmouth before heading out on patrol. They would arrive in three days and Kel really hoped to have her new mount purchased by then. She found nothing more frustrating as listening to eight different men (or more) tell you what to look for in a new horse. She would find him/her and only listen to what Raoul said.

As they neared the horse markets, Kel admired the nimble Arabians that were favoured by the Bhazir. Their beautiful dished faces, petite frame and long flowing manes were not suitable for her purpose, but she admired them nonetheless. One day, perhaps when Hoshi retired she would purchase one of beauties for herself. Their swift pace would be suitable for her long journeys.

The next set of pens housed the larger, more blocky heavy horses. While strong, they were too big and clumsy for warhorses, better suited to pulling wagons or plows.

Kel and Raoul walked in silence throughout the pens, as no animals really caught their eye. Finally they rounded a corner and both Knights stopped in their tracks. In a pen by himself stood a magnificent dapple grey stallion. He was a tall animal and was heavy enough to carry Kel's weight but not to big that it would be hard to manoeuvre on a battle field. But what struck Kel the most was the dished face and long floating mane the magnificent stallion possessed.

"Raoul..." Kel stammered

"I know Kel, he is a gorgeous beast. Take him for a spin and if he feels right then buy him today. A magnificent animal such as that wont be on the market long. Hell I would even buy him for myself!"

As Kel and Raoul neared the pen a shabby man appeared out of nowhere and approached the two Knights. He was short in stature and very round. His hair was a mousy brown and parted right down the center. He wore a strange combination of clothing, including breeches and a long flowing robe similar to what the mages wore in the Academy. Despite his appearance the man aired a confidence about him. Not an arrogant one like Neal could sometimes exude but one that was generated by years of experience.

"Good evening Sirs! (Kel inwardly sighed at being mistaken for a boy, again). My name is Ronaldo and I breed and raise the finest horses in Tortall...maybe perhaps even the world! Are you interested in this fine stallion?"

"Yes I am. I would very much like to take him for a ride, but first can you tell me a little about him?" Kel Inquired not bothering to correct the man about his gender confusion.

"Why yes of course! His name is Ironside, he was born out of my finest Arabian mare. She was a gorgeous sight to see. I had been visiting a Sheik of the Bhazir many years ago, we were great friends. When I arrived at the tribes located, the Sheik was gravely ill. He told me to take the petite white mare in the pen behind his tent and ride as swiftly as possible. I followed my old friends commands, half expecting the mare to collapse dead half way through the journey. She obviously made it through the journey and as a token of his gratitude the Sheik presented me with the mare. Now I used her for many years as my riding horse, never dreaming of breeding her as no stallion could ever measure up to her. To my horror, one day I discovered that a wild stallion had jumped into the pen with her and...well lets just say 11 months later a bouncing baby boy was produced. Now this particular wild stallion was nothing I had ever seen before. He was jet black with a mane that fell to his knees. He had been the terror of my estates ever since my father began breeding horses. The rumor is that he is the last of a noble line of wild horse, born from the two horse gods themselves. I don't know if I believe it myself."

Kel entered the pen while Ronaldo rattled on about how his son had broke the horse to ride and what a level headed animal he was. Kel ran her hands over the stallions legs, observed his hooves and looked deep into the large liquid brown eyes. She could find absolutely no faults.

"Ronaldo, I would very much like to test your stallions paces on the obstacle course, if you would be okay with that. I am a Knight of the Realm and I need a horse that can withstand anything."

"Of course, I will fetch you a saddle and bridle for Ironside. Prepare yourself for the best ride of your life!" Ronaldo then scurried away and returned carrying a light saddle and bridle.

"He has been given some war training but not much Sir, I leave that aspect of the training to the Knights as each prefers something different. However, obstacles are by no means a difficulty for him."

Kel saddled that magnificent stallion and the three humans lead him to the center of the markets where a large ring was set up for tournaments. It now housed a large series of obstacles for riders to test their mounts agility and scope.

Before the mounted the stallion butted her in the back with his head and gave her hair a long sniff. He seemed analyzing her as she has done to him. As she swung herself into position, Kel felt the muscles of the stallion tense with excitement and anticipation.

The stallions grace was undeniable. His stride ate up the ground as she warmed him up. His paces were all extraordinarily smooth and he flowed from one to another. He responded exactly to Kels cues like he had been her mount forever. Kel then turned him towards the first obstacle, not noticing a certain blue eyed Sergeant had joined her Knight master at the railing.

When Dom arrived in the horse markets his jaw had dropped at the sight of the magnificent stallion Kel was testing. He was a beautiful creature and the two were in complete harmony. He also couldn't help but notice how beautiful Kel looked astride the horse. At first he thought it was just the image of horse and rider working as one...but the he began to notice he hair, which was not very long, well past her shoulders streamed behind her in a glimmer of golden brown. Her riding clothes fit perfectly and she had chosen to wear a higher styled riding boot that was popular amongst the inhabitants of Pearlsmouth. He watched as they neared the first fence and soared over it with effortless grace, wondering all the while what it would feel like to run his hand through her hair and look deep into her green-hazel eyes.

Kel and Ironside completed the obstacle course impeccably. This was the horse for her. As she rode up to the fence she noticed another man had joined the party...namely Dom, the blue eyed man she had a crush on for so long. Her heart did a couple of flip flops at the sight of him.

Meanwhile Dom watched as Kel lightly cantered the stallion up to the fence. Her face was flushed with excitement and her eyes sparked greener with happiness.

"Ronaldo, I would love to purchase this wonderful stallion from you and make him my new warhorse!" Kel grasped the mans hand as she jumped from the saddle.

After all the payment details had been figured out Kel and Dom wandered back to the Inn. Raoul had made some weak excuse about looking for a shiny present for Brui.

"I thought you were arriving in three days?"

"Well you see, we decided that we wanted to spend a little more time with our Knight Commander and the ravishing Lady Knight. Good purchase by the way, I probably would have bought him myself had I the chance."

"Ravishing is not the word I would use to describe myself Dom. And Yes, I do believe Ironside and myself will get along famously."

Dom watched as Kel put the stallion in his stall and began grooming him. He had known Kel for a long time and had always noticed her beauty. But today something stirred inside of him when he looked at her. Something that made him wish for her to look at him with love in her green-hazel eyes. He sighed inwardly. This was the famous Protector of the Small, she could have any man in the realm she desired...why would she pick someone such as himself. With this last thought Dom shoved his feelings aside and declared he was unfit to be seen at dinner and must wash up.

Kel peered around Ironside as she watched Dom saunter away. He was truly a magnificent person. So handsome, yet so nice. It was a rare quality these days. Kel had had a little crush on Dom since her years as Raoul's squire. No one knew how she felt and she planned on keeping it that way as she was sure her feelings would not be reciprocated. Kel sighed, at least she had found a new mount and wasn't running the risk of over using Hoshi.

After doing a very through grooming of the stallion, crooning to him the entire time, she then headed to her rooms to wash up herself and become at least somewhat acceptable for dinner. When she arrived in her rooms, a steaming hot bath was prepared with fresh lavender and rose hips floating in the water. It seemed everything in Pearlsmouth was luxury. Kel stripped of hr riding gear and slowly lowered herself into the bath. There she soaked with her eyes closed, relaxing. When Kel emerged from the water, she skin and hair were scented with both lavender and rose. For dinner, Kel chose a pair of rich navy blue breeches and a pale yellow tunic. Yellow was a color that was new to Kel, it gave her more of a feminine air (at the insistence of Lalasa) without being the color pink. The blouse itself was plain, but it was the color that made it look stunning, as well as the wearer. She chose a pair of soft black leather boots that she had picked up in the market. Kel looked in the mirror and sighed again. Her hair was longer, which she enjoyed greatly, but her face (she felt) was rather plain. Kel reached for the small bag of makeup that she carried with her, it was a gift from Yuki. The case was a rich emerald green with golden leaves embroidered on it. Kel opened the bag and applied a little cheek rouge. It was slight but it was all she was willing to try.

``The only mask I want to wear is my Yamani lump mask'' Kel told her reflection.

With that she exited her room only to run square into a curly red haired knight who was about the knock on her door.


	2. Chapter 2 The Arrival of Cleon

Chapter 2 – The arrival of Cleon

Kel was caught completely off guard as she collided with a hard something outside of her door. She almost fell to the ground but strong hands had clasped her elbows and helped her stay upright. Kel rattled off an apology without glancing up at who she had run into. As her eyes looked upon the face of the first lover, the apology died in her throat as the knight chuckled.

"What? Surprised to see me my dear?" Clean chortled.

"What...? Why...? Cleon why are you here?" Kel managed to spit out.

" Oh I heard that you were on a little holiday here in Pearlsmouth and thought I would pay you a little visit." Cleon replied with a wink

Kel was very much aware of the presence of Cleons hands on her elbows.

"The was, well, unexpected of you. How is your wife?" Kel put extra emphasis on the last word.

A shadow passed over Cleon's face which he quickly hid. "She is doing well." He replied icily.

Kell wriggled her way out of Cleon's grasp.

"I am expected at dinner Cleon with some of the Own and Raoul. I do not wish to be late." Kel informed the Knight as she turned to walk towards the stairs.

"Kel..wait. Can a talk to you for a minute?" Cleon pleaded.

Kel froze. He was still her friend despite their parting of ways. She turned and motioned for him to enter her room. As Kel closed the door, she turned to find Cleon standing close, too close. It was unnerving and before she could find an escape (besides opening the door), Cleon had pounced. He grabbed her, swung her in his arms, deposited her on the bed and began kissing her neck/chest furiously. Kel was take so off guard that she didn't know how to react. As soon as she hit the bed however and felt Cleons lips against her skin, she began to attempt to wriggle away.

"Cleon, what are you doing? Your married, we aren't together anymore!" Kel hissed.

"So, that doesn't mean we cant be together in secret Kel. I miss you...I miss our activities..what we had together!" He whispered.

That was all Kel could take, she struggled further but Cleon, being a Knight too was strong. She began pleading with him to stop as he began unlacing her tunic. At that moment, Kel heard the door bang open and Dom enter at a brisk pace. Evidently he had been passing by when he heard the exchange and stepped in to help Kel keep her dignity.

He strode over to Cleon, who had ceased his activities due to pure shock. Dom swung once, knocking Cleon clean on the floor and dragged him from the room. Dom slammed the door, locked it and then turned to Kel. She had never seen him to angry...ever. He hands were shaking and his eye glittered with rage.

The full weight of what had just settled on Kel and she rolled over and curled up into a ball in an attempt to disguise her sobs. She then felt a hand rest on her shoulder, she looked up and Dom was standing over her with a softness now in his eye. He then sat down on the bed and squeezed her shoulder. In response Kel threw herself into him and began crying uncontrollably. Dom held her until she sobbed herself to sleep, breathing in the sweet smell of lavender and rose hips that scented her hair. Something inside of him stirred again, similar to that afternoon. He really wanted to go beat that red haired boy into a pulp for ever thinking he could do that to Kel, but he knew she needed him and that Kennan would still be around tomorrow. The boy has been following Kel since she left Corus...and Dom knew he was up to no good.


	3. Chapter 3 A fierce friend

*****To my reviewers: Thank you all very dearly for your feedback. It was very much appreciated. I re-read my other chapters and saw the flaws in them. I contemplated reworking them, but chapter 3 was just ready to be written. I hope that this chapter explains things a little better. Please enjoy and again, my many thanks to you for taking the time to write a review of my story. This is my first fanfiction and your words of encouragement inspired me to continue writing. I apologize for any grammar problems. It is quite later here and I wanted to get the chapter posted for your enjoyment.******

Disclaimer: Sadly I am not near the genius that Tamora Pierce is, thus I do not own any of these characters.

_**Chapter 3 – A fierce friend **_

Kel was in that in between state of waking and sleeping. Where everything is still fuzzy and you do not really understand what is going on around you. Voices. She could hear voices. Her pillow smelled of lavender and tantalized her to sleep more. But those voices would not quieten down. Kel identified the deep baritone to be Raoul. The other masculine voice sounded like Dom. But why in the name of the Gods were they in her room talking why she was still asleep. Suddenly, reality came crashing down onto Kel. The struggle with Cleon. Emotion washed over the young woman. Cleon had changed to the point of unrecognizable. While he used to be a caring, honourable man Cleon had now developed into a cold hearted ambitious individual that aspired to reach the upper levels of court by any means possible. The man's change had begun two years ago and was witnessed firsthand by Neal. Neal attributed this to Cleon's equally ambitious wife. Ermelian of Kennan (formerly of Aminar) was deemed a lesser daughter of greater mothers. Her grandmother had been held in high esteem by royal family for her forward thinking and pleasant mannerisms. Ermelian's mother, however, had not gained these qualities. She fell out of favour with the court for her malicious words towards the Kings Champion and the Knight's decision to go against societal norms. Alanna did not take kindly to having her honour insulted. It was the beginning of Lady Amy of Aminar's downward spiral as more of her intrigues were uncovered. Ermelian was truly her mother's daughter but had to cope with living in the shadow of her mother's mistakes. This just accentuated her more undesirable qualities.

Kel had only one encounter with Ermelian of Kennan. She was a petite woman, with mousy brown hair, a small face typical of the court beauties and ice blue eyes. It had been right after Cleon and Ermelian were married and the pair still attended some court functions. Ermelian had surveyed Kel with extreme disdain in her cold eyes. The look Kel had received sent shivers up her spine. It was not until later that Kel learned of Ermelian unfaithfulness to Cleon (her harlot attitude was part of her plan to rise to societal power) and her abusive tendencies. Neal and Yuki's rooms were located in close proximity to Cleon's and Ermelian's. Neal had confided in Kel that on some occasions himself and Yuki had heard Ermelian screaming at Cleon and throwing furniture around the room. Neal had taken Cleon aside after the third time he has heard the arguing. Cleon told Neal that a blubbering idiot of mage such as himself should stay out of other, proper nobles businesses. Cleon appeared to have adopted the same idea that Ermelian had concerning Yuki. Nobles of the Book of Silver such of Neal were no longer to be considered nobility after being wedded to barbarians such as the Yamani's . The next day Cleon and Ermelian moved back to Kennan. Their move occurred two years ago and Kel had not seen Cleon since.

Such was the fate of her one time friend. Cleon's mind had retreated to a dark place with the only spot of happiness being associated with his time spent with Kel. This was his reasoning for following her from Corus. Cleon's wife believed that he was on patrol in the area, she never complained about the hours her Knight husband kept as it meant her intrigues with other nobles were more numerous. Cleon was now used to taking what he wanted, when he wanted it. As far as Kel could tell, Cleon's wife had driven him to the brink of madness.

"He was smart to get out of here as fast as he did. I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of Kel's anger." Raoul stated.

As Kel laid there pretending to sleep and listening to Dom and Raoul discuss what they were going to do about Cleon she searched her soul for how she felt regarding the young man. While she was hurt that Cleon had...'approached' her in such a manner she was not angry with him. Instead she felt a deep sorrow for the loss of her friend as well as the changes that he underwent due to his wife's unpleasant attitude. She prayed to the Gods that the old Cleon was still there, just buried under a very hurt, very angry man. If such was the case then surely he could still be saved.

"What I do not understand about the whole situation is how he got the upper hand. Cleon is a strapping bloke but Kel is not someone to be taken lightly in a struggle.." Dom voice sounded slightly gravely, as if he was holding back some unknown emotion.

"Yes, that is a little strange isn't it. The only thing I can think of is the hot bath she had right before dinner. I find that when I have just had a piping hot bath my muscles do not respond in the same manner as before. Also, he was her friend at some point in her life. I am sure Kel was taken unaware of his reaction to her." Raoul responded to Dom's inquiry.

Both men lapsed into silence. They had been keeping vigil over Kel since she had cried herself to sleep. Dom had immediately summoned Raoul after Kel had drifted off. Neither man had ever seen Kel cry, thus her reaction scared them witless. This was Kel, she was known for her uncanny ability to keep her emotions under control.

Kel wished they would leave. Everything seemed so surreal to her in the room. The scent of lavender on her pillows, the sounds of birds chirping outside, the smell of the horrific sludge like coffee newly favoured by Raoul. None of it seemed real to her anymore, all she could think about was Cleon and his 180 in personality.

"What time is it?"

"Gods its noon. I need to eat. I will be as fragile as a flower if I do not feed myself." Raoul's chair scrapped against the wood floor as the big man stood.

"Stay here, I will bring us up some food." The door shut quietly behind Raoul.

Silence. Kel had longed for it. Perhaps now she could just drift back to sleep and hope the dream world would take her away from such unhappiness.

"I know your awake Keladry, its rude to pretend otherwise." Dom suddenly spoke out, breaking the silence.

Kel's eyes flew open at the sudden speech. Her first glimpse of was two chairs sitting at the small table within her chamber. One was occupied by Dom who was looking at her with a concerned face. Kel eyed the sergeant before sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess, which she attributed to her tossing and turning throughout her troubled sleep. She looked back at Dom. He wore a pair of midnight blue breeches coupled with a lighter blue tunic. The color suited his eyes and accentuated the darkness of his hair nicely. His tunic was a little rumpled and his hair stuck out at different angles as if he had been running his hands through it continuously. He still wore the same concerned look, and she prayed to the Gods that he would stop looking at her with such pity. She didn't deserve pity. Cleon did.

"Kel are you...?" Dom began but before he could finish, Kel cut him off

"Dom I am perfectly fine. I do not wish to come across as rude but I really would prefer not to discuss the happenings of last night." Kel stated, her Yamani mask not failing to reveal the inner turmoil she experienced.

As if right on cue, the door opened and Raoul stepped inside with a small basket filled with what smelled to be lunch from the kitchen downstairs in the house they were staying in.

"Ahhh, it is good to see your awake Kel. I was beginning to think you would sleep for ages. How are you..." Raoul received the same treatment as Dom

"Sir, I realize that you are both concerned but I do not wish to talk about what happened with Cleon last night. I also must ask you to swear to secrecy. The man was deranged. The friend I once knew is buried somewhere under an extremely hurt and brainwashed individual. The last I saw of Cleon, he was fully under the reign of his terrible wife and it would appear that he has changed under such circumstances into a shadow of the person we used to know." Kel kept all emotion from her voice. She did not want this subject breeched further.

"But Kel he just about..." Dom protested his eyes sparkling with anger as he recalled what he heard on his way to dinner. Yes, it had been one of those right place right time incidents, but thank the gods for that. What would have happened had he not fallen asleep before dinner, prompting him to be late.

"No Dom. Cleon's sanity may only be holding on by a thread. A public embarrassment such as this would due him no good. I will tell Neal and no one else. We are his friends and we will help him out of this situation if we can" Kel had made up her mind. She would take the higher path. Cleon needed his friends to come after him. They had all been so preoccupied with the marauding bands of evil Immortals and bandits that had come to plague Tortall since the end of the war that they had all lost touch with Cleon. Kel and Neal had attempted numerous times to write the man, but never received any response back. Perhaps this was the whiles of his wife yet again. Isolating her husband from his friends, making him feel so alone and beating him down would have made the road to Cleon's near madness even shorter. From what Kel had understood the King had given Cleon some leeway in his services due to the sudden death of the young man's father. He was only required to do solo patrols until he was able to comfortably manage Kennan and the typical duties of the Knight. Thus his wife and those of Kennan became his only contact.

Dom and Raoul bowed their heads, admitting too defeat. Raoul looked down at his former squire, pride in his eyes. Kel was doing the right thing, she was setting aside whatever feelings she had towards the situation to help an old friend. The large man began setting out the lunch which consisted of rolls filled with sausage and cheese, more of the dreadful coffee, fruit and rolls filled with a delicious custard.

Kel swing her legs over the bed. From under the thin gauze of the sleeves of the tunic she wore she could see little bruises on her arms...bruises from hands that grabbed fast and hard. She shuddered. She stood and stretched, her body joints crackling like logs in a fire as they grew accustomed to being used again after sleep. Kel pulled up a chair and tried to choke down some lunch. She was not hungry despite missing both dinner the previous night and breakfast in the morning. No one spoke during their brief lunch.

Dom continued to observe Kel. Her damned mask was firmly in place so he could not see her feelings. He never ceased to be amazed by Kel and her phenomenal personality. There it was again, that same stirring inside of him. It made him feel warm inside and out. No! He didn't have feelings for Kel besides the typical brotherly ones. He sighed inwardly and continued to eat, feelings could be sorted out later.

While Kel and Raoul had finished what they had set out to do in Pearlsmouth with the purchase of Ironside they had planned on staying a little longer. Rest and relaxation were hard to come by these days. After the meal had finished, Kel looked up at both men and merely stated

"I need to leave for Corus. Now."


	4. Chapter 4 Escape in the Night

I admit that I do not know how I feel about this chapter, so please be kind in your reviews. Dreadful University has commenced once again and the thoughts of Greeks and Romans swirl in my head (combined with my new Latin class *shudder*). Please enjoy, I will update as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is a genius without parallel, thus all these characters belong to her and her amazing skill of transporting us all away to a far away land where we can lose ourselves and forget the real world.

_**Chapter 4 – Escape in the Night**_

Pearlsmouth dawned foggy and cold. The air had a damp chill in it that was unusual for the city but not completely unseen. The dew was heavy on the blades of emerald green grass and created a sodden trek for those out and about already. One individual in particular could be found in the stables of the Inn called the Red Mug. The Lady Knight Keladry had begun packing earlier that morning so as to slip out of the beautiful city without her companions being any the wise. While Kel had wished to leave immediately after waking from the incident with Cleon, she later realized that would mean being accompanied. Her task was for her and her page friends alone, no one else.

The day proceeding Kel's encounter with the half deranged Cleon had been filled with awkward silences between herself, Raoul and Dom. Kel did not wish to discuss the events further, having made up her mind as to what she wished to do. Raoul and Dom had conceded to defeat and merely continued to throw Kel worried glances. Finally disgusted with their pity, Kel slipped out later in the afternoon and began the slow process of outfitting her new mount. She purchased a new tilting saddle, one better fitted to Ironside's taller, leaner body. She had lead the horse to the saddle maker in order to ensure it would be a perfect fit with no chance for injuring her mounts back. The man cooed at the stallion, congratulating the young Knight on her new beautiful steed. The saddle itself was tooled with beautiful griffins, demonstrating the advanced grasp the saddle maker had over his craft. The griffins were poised as if in battle with one another, their claws flexed and striking in each others direction. Their wings were accented with golden paint and each eye had a sapphire set into it. Next she purchased two new bridles, one for regular riding and a fancier one for Progress the King and Queen were planning for the next year. The latter was made out of a soft supple chestnut coloured leather with bright sapphires twinkling across the brow band and where the reins joined in with the bit. The rich stones matched her Midelan colours perfectly and suited Ironsides coat beautifully. Kel then lead the stallion back to the Inn and began giving him a long and through grooming. He had watched her the entire time with a calm liquid brown eye. As she ran the brush through his mane, the stallion suddenly swung his head around and butted Kel gently. She laughed and stroked his velvety nose in response. Ironside appeared to have accepted Kel, and she him.

It was not until Kel had reached her rooms that she realized that her time spent with Ironside had been extremely soothing. She had always found the damp, musty smell of stables and the very unique scent of horse to be therapeutic but never to this extent. It was at that point that Kel knew exactly what she must do. She would ride hard and fast to Corus and seek out Neal. He was not bound to be far the Yuki expecting. Neal had become more of a mother hen that Ken herself. Kel would inform him of the events of the previous night and together they would ride to Kennan and attempt to aid what was left of their old friend. It would be tough, but Kel held onto hope. Raoul and Dom stopped by briefly later in the evening but Kel's lack of response to their attempts at conversation caused them to exit not long after their arrival.

When Kel went to shut the door, Dom turned and stared at the oak in front of him before returning to his own room to embark on a fitful, restless sleep. An unmistakable sorrow had washed over the normally sunny disciple of Keladry. It made Dom himself sad. What happened the previous night was completely terrible, especially when it was Kel of all people. Kel, the one who cared so much for others, putting their feelings above her own...she did not deserve such torment from a former friend and lover. Lover. Dom's mind lingered on the word. What had Kel and Cleon's relationship been like? Cleon's marriage was sprung on the young man and it appeared to be the cause of his and Kel's split (or so Dom believed). Had she been heartbroken by her lovers betrothal? She had never shown it. But it was Kel, she never showed sorrow, not to others at least. Perhaps behind closed doors she showed some emotion, but Dom had never caught wind of it. Suddenly, he had an image in his mind of a younger Kel crying into her pillow, sobbing uncontrollably about the loss of her first love. The image vanished. Deep down Dom felt a growing anger and need to defend Kel for the unjustness done to her. Dom knew that the Lady Knight could defend herself, but he still felt a growing sense of protectiveness over the beautiful young lady. Beautiful. It was another word his mind lingered on. Kel had grown to become a beautiful (but very deadly) young lady. Her hazel eyes (when not shadowed by her mask) danced with life. They were astonishing themselves, changing in intensity as her emotions changed. Her hair was longer and had become significantly lighter due to her time spent out in the sun. Her womanly parts, while maturing late, had come to fill out her tunics and breeches, giving her a voluptuous, yet lean body. Yes, Kel had become quite the beauty of the court, and she seemingly did not notice at all. Perhaps it was due to her infamous skill of avoiding balls, a trait she appeared to have learned from Raoul himself. Many of the young men would clamour for a chance to dance with the Protector of the Small, if she would put in an appearance at the balls held at court.

Dom sighed inwardly. The watch was called as he lay in his bed looking at the ceiling of his room. There were still a couple more hours until it was time for breakfast and their departure. The soldier, admitting defeat stood and walked to the window to peer into the courtyard of the inn. Through the fog he saw a rider, dressed in dark colors holding the reins of a tall horse. He could only make out the shadow of the horse and rider due to the extreme darkness. Suddenly the hood of the rider turned up towards his window. There was a brief pause as Dom observed the unknown being. The rider then swung their head back around and released their prancing mount. Dom watched as the horse half-reared and then galloped out of the courtyard, the sound of hooves against flagstones echoing in his head.

_Meanwhile in the courtyard itself_

Kel donned a long navy blue cloak and began to lead the stallion from his stall. The cloak was made of a fine linen material, expertly fashioned by Lalasa to cover Kel's armour so she could travel stealthy in the night. Hoshi peered out from over her stall door, a sadness in her deep brown eyes. Kel had left a brief letter for Raoul and Dom asking them to bring the mare back with them when they eventually returned. It pained the Lady Knight to leave her there, but she knew Raoul would see her back safely. She rubbed Hoshi's star then exited the Inn's stables. The air was cool and she could see her breath. The fog made it feel clammy and close. Ironside danced excitedly at her side anticipating the hard ride ahead. Kel swung herself easily up into the saddle and turned the stallion towards the gates of Pearlsmouth. Ironside pranced with anticipation as Kel looked once again up at the windows of the Inn. She was stunned when she saw Dom peering out of his window, the light from the candles in his room flickering behind him. For a moment Kel was afraid that he would recognize her and stop her from her mission. She swung her head back around and released Ironsides reins. The stallion half-reared in anticipation and took off into the night at a full gallop his hooves clattering on the flagstones. Kel had to get as far away from Pearlsmouth as possible before Raoul and Dom realized that she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5 The Road Home

****Thank you to all my readers. It makes me very happy when I see that you have reviewed my story and added it as a favourite. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it is a little boring but I didn't want Kel to set out on her journey and then magically be in Corus in the next chapter. Too convenient. More to come, writing this story helps me escape from my Latin class.*****

Disclaimer: Perhaps if I was as great of a genius as Tamora Pierce, the owner of these characters, I would not be a slave to my Latin class.

Chapter 5 – The Road Home

Rain. No, torrential waves of rain was pouring down around her. The sodden Knight, Keladry sat huddled under a large oak tree, trying to seek shelter from the rain for herself and her warhorse. Kel absolutely abhorred the rain. It made her armour rust, it made her and her mount irritable, it made her saddle slick, it was just generally very unpleasant to travel in. There was only one aspect of rain that she actually enjoyed. That smell, the smell that could only be defined by a fresh clean rain. For some strange reason she always associated that smell with innocence and renewal. Perhaps it was because it washed all sins away and brought new life to a once barren landscape after the winter months.

However, as Kel sat shivering under her blanket, she did not think of such things. She considered her ride to the location and the longer trek she had ahead of her. Her stomach grumbled unhappily. With the torrential downpour, it was impossible for Kel to find dry firewood. Thus she could not cook any of the small cloth balls filled with soup she had packed for the journey. All her bread had been consumed as she had planned to be in the next town before nightfall. It seemed unlikely now if the rain did not let up in the next couple of hours. Instead of dwelling on her situation at the present time, Kel allowed her mind to wander back to the happenings of the past day.

She had left Pearlsmouth very early in the morning in an attempt to sneak away from Raoul and Dom. She knew her former Knight master would not be very pleased with her but she left a note explaining why. She had then ridden long and hard for hours in the hopes of getting enough of a head start on the two men to make it impossible for them to catch up. The young Knight had made sure she had covered her tracks well and took an unusual route to the capital in hopes of throwing her hunters off. It appeared to have worked thus far as Raoul and Dom had not caught up to her.

Kel then turned her mind to her plan. In the next town she would seek out the mews and retrieve an eagle. She planned on sending Neal a message, requesting that he meet her in the royal forest. She would then explain exactly what had happened. Neal would not reject rescuing Cleon. He would be as concerned about their old friend as Kel was presently. Kel's mind began to wander back to the episode with Cleon. She wanted to be angry, to scream, to throw things to actually show emotion. It was unfair, not just to her but to women all around the world. Such atrocities happened day in and day out. It sickened Kel. Despite how she felt it was the reality of the world, something that would never be fully prevented. She knew that Cleon was a strong man and if Dom had not been there to pull him off of her he may have gotten the upper hand and taken his actions significantly further. Kel was not court blossom, but Cleon was half deranged and the adrenaline seemed to make him even stronger than she could have imagined. Suddenly tears began to well up in Kel's eyes. They were not tears of sadness as they had been directly after the incident, but of anger! They rolled down her face, creating a warm path down her chilled cheeks. Instead of stemming the flow with her strict Yamani control over her emotions, Kel let them continue to flow as she stared at the blanket of rain pouring down around the tree she sat under.

_Hours earlier in Pearlsmouth_

Dom had watched the silent rider leave the courtyard, his sleep deprived mind not even registering that it could have been Kel leaving stealthily in the dead of night. Afterwards he had packed his things and paced his room. He tried to sleep, but it was virtually impossible. His mind kept wandering back to Kel and his feelings towards her. Kel had been an ever present entity in his life since Raoul had decided to make her his squire. Yes, there were times when the two had been separated and he had worried about her, but he had always attributed it to a type of brotherly love, not something deeper.

When Dom had seen Kel testing her new mount, it had been 6 months since he had last been in her presence. Quite possibly the longest they had been apart. When he had seen her, with her hair streaming down her back and her face lit up from the exhilarating ride, his heart seemed to skip a beat. She looked absolutely breathtaking. After she had dismounted, Dom took in her full appearance. Her tan breeches fit snugly over well shaped, muscular thighs. Her tunic was a rich royal purple, a color that suited her complexion and hair color beautifully. Dom may not have noticed until that moment, but Kel's womanly parts had filled out quite nicely. She was a voluptuous woman but still strong and agile.

His mind then wandered to Cleon. What had transpired between the two of them? Dom had always been suspicious of the red headed Knights intentions with his friend. Their parting had appeared to be quick and painless, but perhaps it was different? Had Kel been heartbroken?

A roster crowed in the distance, bringing Dom out of his daze...it was time for breakfast. The young sergeant roughly pulled on his breeches, a sapphire tunic and his worn black riding boots before heading out the door in search of the young woman he had been day dreaming about.

As Dom approached Kel's door, he found it ajar. Immediately he raced into the small room, only to find Raoul standing at the small oak writing desk, reading a letter. Dom looked at the surroundings, where was Kel? Where did all of her belongings go?

"Where is...?" Dom began

"She is fine. Here, she left this letter for us. Read it through and then prepare to ride, she has quite the head start on us!" Raoul replied as he handed the piece of parchment to Dom.

_My dear friends, _

_Please do not be angry with me. This is something that must be handled quietly and discreetly. Cleon is a dear friend of both myself and Neal. The Cleon I witnessed recently is not the man I knew, something dark appears to have taken over him. I believe that this has everything to do with his new, highly ambitious and highly critical wife. I am holding onto the hope that there is still a little bit of the man I used to know tucked away somewhere inside of the troubled one I saw. I will be in contact with Neal as soon as I arrive at my destination, and, if everything goes according to plan, we will see what we can do for our dear friend. I hate asking this of you my friends, but could you possibly bring Hoshi back to Corus for me? I hate leaving this burden on you, but I feel that I need to do this. Please do not try to follow me. _

_Keladry_

"Are we going after her?" Dom question Raoul who sat on the bed, his face in his hands.

"We will follow her at a distance. She will not know we are behind her, and that way we can keep an eye if trouble does start brewing. Kel is good at keeping her tracks hidden, but she forgets that I taught her all the tricks and know what to look for!" Raoul replied, parting his hands to look at Dom.

One hour later the two men rode out of Pearlsmouth at a steady pace, Kel's mare Hoshi following obediently behind Raoul's horse Drum. Storm cloud brewed overhead, threatening the two men with a delay in seeking their runaway.

Finally the rain had lifted, leaving the earth sodden with moisture and slippery under Ironsides feet. Kel and her stallion proceeded carefully, a slip on such slimy ground could lead to very dire consequences for both the horse and his rider. Kel delighted in being able to set out again. She was extremely frustrated sitting under the great oak watching the water pour down around her. When she was riding she seemed to be in a different world, one where the reality of what had occurred over the past couple of days melted away. She was still aware of the events, but she felt more detached, as if looking through a foggy window while everything was going on.

After 2 hours at a slow pace, Kel finally reached a small village named Red Grove. Outside the village, Kel halted and took in her surroundings.

The village was small but picturesque. The buildings were all painted a rich shade of red with white trim and the streets paved with cobblestones. Shops were being taken down by street venders along what appeared to be the main street. Despite being small in size, the village appeared to be a rich one. Kel could catch a fleeting glimpse of small fields stretching out in the distance, the wheat near thrashing time.

"Well lets see if we can find some shelter and hot food" Kel told her mount as she patted him on the neck.

The young woman rode into the small village receiving stares from many of the inhabitants that stood outside. Never had such an entity entered their peaceful village. Yes, Knights had come and gone. But clearly this was the famous Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, Protector of the Small, the saviour of Tortall.

Kel was aware of the eyes, it had been a regular occurrence since her little adventure in the North. She simply put on her very best Yamani mask and rode up to the first inn, The Inn of the Red Flower. It was here that she settled into a small but cozy room with a roaring fire and a large tub filled with steaming hot water. The water was scented with rose oil and red rose petals, explaining the name of the Inn itself. Kel soaked the grim of the road away and then crawled into her bed for a restful sleep. Before she left tomorrow she would seek out the mews and send a letter to Neal requesting his presence in the Royal Forest.


	6. Chapter 6 Accidental Awakening

***First and foremost, my sincere apologies for not updating for a VERY long time. School turned into the seventh circle of hell. But I am back now and will do my best to update regularly!***

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns all characters.

Chapter 6- Accidental Awakening

Ironside galloped hard and fast over the flat, hilly terrain stretching out before him. The stallion moved so swiftly that his hoofbeats began to sound as one staccato like sound, beating rhythmically against the earth. Kel clung to the stallion, allowing him to stretch his legs and reach his full pace, which was an exhilarating yet terrifying speed. Kel enjoyed the breakneck speed. It was a sheer adrenaline rush for the young Knight. Suddenly in the distance she heard the calls of an eagle and sadly she began the process of reining the magnificent stallion in. Ironside fought her at first but eventually conceded to defeat and slowed to a walk, still prancing slightly due to excitement.

Kel haulted the stallion quickly and swung gracefully from the saddle, her navy blue coat swishing behind her. The young knight quickly pulled out a small blanket and wrapped her wrist to her elbow in the fabric. Kel then stuck her arm out before her and then felt the weight of a very large eagle settle on her arm, its talons digging into the fabric, but not the flesh of the Knight. She stroked the coppery feathers of the magnificent bird then put its hood back on. Kel then pulled a letter out of a small metal tube attached to the birds leg.

Kel had purchased the eagle in the previous town. She had been considering getting her own eagle for quite awhile. Many of the Knights who had not been blessed with the Gift had their own personal eagles so they could send messages when they were in remote locations. After taking care of the pest of a griffin during her squire years, Kel figured an eagle would be easy. She had chosen this particular one due to his magnificent copper color, unlike any other bird she had seen, and his unusual green eyes. Kel had then dubbed the gorgeous animal Flame for his feathers shone like the copper elements of a fire in the sun.

Kel unrolled the letter and began to attempt to decipher Neal's untidy scrawl:

_Dear Kel, _

_Nice eagle. I have also received a letter from a certain cousin of mine that seems quite concerned about a Lady Knight that disappeared from Pearlsmouth. You know he is not very smart and cant figure things out on his own. If he gets into trouble I fully blame you. _

_Now, to business, I will of course meet you in the Royal Forest when you arrive. Your letter seemed quite serious, and thus I am assuming you are not trying to play a prank on me like your lovely friends in the Kings Own. I will see you soon Kel. Behave youself, wherever you are. _

_Neal_

_Also, I will send my dolt cousin a letter saying you are okay. _

Kel rolled the letter back up and looked towards the sky. She needed to find shelter for the evening before it got dark out. She removed Flames hood and urged him off of her arm, the eagle took off and soared high above, appearing to be searching for his dinner. Kel watched him as he rose higher and higher in the sky. She envied the eagle. He was free to move about wherever he please, with no one to answer too and no bonds holding him back. Freedom, it seemed like a far away dream to Kel.

After allowing herself one sorrow induced sigh, Kel swung herself gracefully back into the saddle and urged Ironside into a slow walk...keeping her eye out for a suitable resting place for herself and the stallion.

Raoul and Dom watched as the young Lady Knight halted her mount in order to receive a message from her newly acquired eagle. Raoul chuckled to himself. He had taught is protégée well, however as the teacher he was able to recognize all of her attempts to cover her tracks. The two men were standing amongst thick evergreen trees watching the Lady Knight from afar. It had taken them a lot of hard riding to catch up with the young woman, but now that they could tail her, the pace had slowed down considerably.

"What happens if she catches us spying on her? Have you thought about that Sir? I am going to tell her it was all your idea so she will beat you into a pulp and not myself." Hissed the sergeant to his commander.

"You worry too much Dom. And Kel would probably deal out equal punishments to the both of us. So we just cannot get caught" Raoul replied, his voice heavy with amusement. He did agree with the blue eyed man beside him, Kel would be extremely upset if she knew what they were doing.

"Look she is heading out, slower this time. That stallion of hers can really move. Perhaps she is looking for shelter for the evening?"

"Yes, I do believe so. It is almost dusk so we will settle here. No fire Domitian, Kel is like a deer right now. If we make our presence known she will flee hard and fast before we even have time to pull our tunics on."

Dom nodded in agreement and began setting up the mens camp.

Kel extinguished her fire after a small meal of porridge. Her knees crackled as she rose from a crouching position and she began to survey the surroundings. Or at least attempted too. Fog. Thick, dense, cling to your bones fog. Fog was the only thing Kel despised as much as rain. Fog meant keeping ones bearings would be exceedingly difficult. It would mean a much slower pace and perhaps even set her back hours of riding time if she got lost. After careful consideration, Kel conceded to defeat, restocked the fire and wrapped herself in her navy blue riding coat falling soundly back asleep.

"Scout the area Dom, see how thick this fog truly is. I will light a fire so you can have something to follow." Raoul informed the young man as he swung in the saddle.

" Will do, Sir."

"And Dom, watch out for Kel. This fog maybe keeping her from setting out"

Dom set out, a grim expression on his face. He had been searching his soul for days trying to sort out his feelings for Kel. She was in his day dreams and his regular dreams. Dom kept revisiting the first time he had seen her after the 6 months apart. She had swung off her horse with the grace of a dancer. She had changed since he last saw her. Her womanly parts had filled out, her hair was longer and highlighted by the sun and her eyes, those hazel eyes, danced with life. Dom fell deep into a daydream about the Lady Knight. His mind wandered to the times they spent together and then ventured to fantasize about what it would be like to be with her, as a more than a friend. As his musings continued to consume his thoughts, Dom did not notice the young woman asleep against the trunk of a great oak tree. The whinnying of the woman's gray stallion awoke Dom from his dreams, as well as the slumbering beauty. Suddenly she was on her feet, chest heaving from adrenaline and sword point pressed against Doms throat.


	7. Chapter 7 Checkmate

*** Tamora Pierce owns all the characters in the following chapers***

Chapter 7 – Checkmate

Dom immediately released his mounts reins and raised his hands in submission.

"Dom...what are you doing here?" panted Kel

Dom smiled instantly, the player in him immediately bubbling to the surface, erasing all lingering pieces of his daydream.

"Oh just out for a relaxing ride on a clear morning such as this" taunted the blue eyed man

Kel lowered her sword. A grim smile on her face, so they had caught up with her. It was silly of her to think that Raoul wouldn't be able to track her, he had been her instructor for many years.

"So you found me. Are you and Raoul going to drag me to Corus and try to convince me to bring Cleon up for trial? Because it will not happen, I refuse to bring any charges and I will deny everything"

"Kel..." Dom dismounted, his eyes shadowed with concern. "We would do no such thing. Raoul and I are concerned about you, that is all. We both care deeply about you and only wish the best for you"

"Well, the best thing for you to do is to leave me to my own devices. I can handle this." Kel stated, not looking at Dom. She began cleaning up her supplies, her hands shaking, betraying what she had just said.

"Kel, you are obviously shaken by what happened, please let us help...let me help" She wouldn't look at him, it frustrated him.

She shrugged and carried her saddle towards her mount. Dom tied his mare to the tree, marched over and grabbed Kel by the shoulders, spinning her around so he could look her in the face.

"Kel, I will continue to follow you until you let me help you. You rode with the Own long enough to know that we do not leave one to their own devices when it comes to serious matters"

Doms hands were tight on her shoulders, his blue eyes seemed to shine even brighter with the concern he felt for her. Something inside of her quivered, her breath grew shorter and her cheeks red.

As soon as Dom placed his hands on her shoulders he noticed a swift change in the young woman. Her body became instantly rigid, her face gained a rosy glow and her breath became short. What she preparing to beat him into a pulp for touching her? No, being the player he was Dom knew this reaction well. Could it be? Did Kel share his feelings?

She shook his hands off and turned towards her mount yet again, finishing fastening the saddle. Dom stood staring at his hands dumbfounded by the reaction they had on Kel. He was struck speechless, which rarely ever happened.

When Kel turned back around to face Dom her Yamani mask was back in place. Cool as stone, which make Dom's heart sink to his feet. Perhaps it was just an apparition of affection that he had seen?

"What will it take to get you to leave me alone?" demanded the Lady Knight

"You can't. I can respect that you want to deal with Cleon on your own. But let us accompany you back to Corus at least. You have worried Raoul sick you know. Your like a daughter to him Kel, the man wont even eat because he is so concerned. I hope you can deal with his angry wife when she sees how skinny he has gotten." Drawled the blue eyed sergeant as he leaned up against the tree. The truth was, it was Dom who couldn't eat and was worried sick.

Kel stood before him, her mind working furiously, but her mask covering all thoughts and feelings. She knew Dom and Raoul had set up some sort of signal to warn one another, it was what she would have done in their situation. And she knew Dom wouldn't leave her side, because she would run. A voice in her head suggested allowing Dom to signal Raoul, knocking the man out then bolting into the fog. Cruel, that would be too cruel she told herself.

"Fine. Signal Raoul. However, if I hear any mention of Cleon or what happened from either one of you, I will make you wish you never crossed me" hissed the Lady Knight

Dom smiled, put his fingers to his lips and whistled three short, yet audible sounds followed by two longer ones. Raoul would be on his way shortly.

_Four days later_

"We agreed to head into Corus and give you your private meeting with Meathead. But if you run again Kel, I WILL find you again" Dom had pulled the young woman aside before him and Raoul set out.

Kel turned to face the man, expecting to see his blue eyes dancing with amusement. To her shock something else filled them. A seriousness that she had never seen before had made them shine brighter than ever before but with sorrow and not mirth. He would defiantly keep his word if she bolted, which was her exact plan.

"I owe you many bruises in the practise courts, Sergeant, and thus I am not about to run away before you receive them" She replied in cool tones.

Dom sighed, turned and mounted is horse.

Raoul rode up beside the younger man and peered down at Kel.

"Do what you have to do to make this right, but know that I will always be here for help Keladry." Raoul stated touching her cheek softly. It was hard for the man to watch his pseudo-daughter go through such a hard, trying time without helping.

"I will Raoul, I promise"

Kel watched as the two men rode off but had turned away before she noticed Dom stop to stare back at her, before urging his mount into a swift trot.

"Calm down Neal! I am fine and I have come in the hopes of securing your help. But if you dont control that temper and tongue of yours I will do this on my own!" Kel yelled at Neal in the middle of the Royal Forest as he stormed around pitching rocks at trees.

"I...just...I just. Cleon? No he was never the sort." Stumbled Neal

"He is different, that wife of appears to have warped and brainwashed the poor man into a lesser form of himself. I told you Neal, the Cleon we knew is either buried deep within this troubled person or gone forever. We must ride to Kennan and see what we can dig up concerning his and his wife's relations with one another. He was once a friend, remember."

Neal stopped dead mid throw and turned to face Kel. He sighed and dropped the rock, letting the anger at the injustice done to his friend flow out of him. At least Dom had been there to act as her 'knight in shining armour'. He grinned inside knowing that if he told Kel that she would surely beat him into a pulp.

"Well I guess its my turn to surprise you Kel. Cleon and his lovely, darling wife have made an appearance at court after many years in silence on his lands. It would appear that his social climbing wife has finally secured what she needed to begin her accent up Tortall's social ladder. They arrived here three days ago, right after you received my letter"

Kel stood stock still, pondering her next move. Her mission was starting to play out like one of her and Raouls chess matches. One wrong move could mean falling into utter ruin.

"Does Ermelian have any connection to anybody with the gift? She could be controlling Cleon that way..." Kel mused out loud.

"Perhaps, that would explain the strange behaviour of Cleon. " Neal said.

He took a seat next to Kel in the crook of a giant spruce tree. They sat in silence, watching the sun shine through the needles, creating a zigzag pattern on the ground. Suddenly Neal turned and hugged Kel, as hard as he could. He concern for his friend shone through his eyes.

"We will head back into Corus. It will be hard but we must pretend that this never happened and observe Ermelian while trying to break up her hold on Cleon. Do you think you can do that Kel?" Neal asked

"Yes, yes I can." Kel stated, her Yamani mask firmly in place.


	8. Chapter 8 Of Lilies and pink petticoats

Chapter 8- Of Lilies, pink petticoats and intruders

Kel slumped down into the chair at her desk, sweat pouring off of her forehead. Her early morning glaive practises had increased in intensity since her encounter with Cleon.

She put her face in her hands and let out a sigh. She and Neal had arrived back in Corus three days ago, and since their arrival Cleon and his wife had shut themselves up in their rooms, even having their meals delivered by one of their many servants.

"Perhaps there is no hope, perhaps he is lost" Kel thought to herself. No, there had to be hope, there was always hope. She would rescue her friend or at least do what she could to bring him out of the darkness that seemed to have encroached upon his mind.

Kel rose, her knees crackling as she did so. She stared at the tub in her privy full of piping hot water. There was something about watching the steam curl up off of the glimmering surface of the water that calmed the young woman. Kel moved into the room, leaving the door open so a breeze could travel through. She walked over to her cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of scented oil. When Kel was little, if she was upset, she would always try to find a patch of Lilies of the Valley. There was something about the sight of the little white blooms and their intoxicating scent that always seemed to calm her nerves.

Kel brought the bottle to her bath water and let a couple of drops fall on the surface, watching the rippling effect it had on the smooth calm exterior. Immediately, the smell was released into the air. Kel then retrieved a small packet from the cabinet and opened it to reveal dried small white flowers. She tossed a couple into the bath water, watching as the slowly moved about the surface.

Kel stripped herself of her grimy practise clothes and slowly lowered her aching body into the hot bath water. Immediately relief washed over her. The scent of her childhood flower allowed her to relax. Kel's eyes began to drop and she entered a sleep-like stupor. Her thoughts began to stop as she soaked in the tub, allowing all her emotions to leach out of her skin.

Kel's dream like stupor dulled her senses. She didn't hear the sound of someone rapping on the door, or saying her name.

Dom rapped on the door numerous times. Why wasn't she answering? He had already checked the practise courts and stables. All he had found was some empty courts and Ironside crunching on his morning oats.

Knock, knock, knock...no answer. Dom stood baffled at the door. Unconsciously he reached down and tried the door knob. The audible click of the levers moving shook Dom out of his stupor. Panic began to set in. Kel's door unlocked, she didn't seem like the type to leave her door unbolted. Kel knew better, just because it was the palace doesn't mean that there were not shady characters around. Dom slowly opened the door and peered into Kel's room.

The bed was neatly made, Kel's glaive laying across the pristine sheets. The birds were chirping at the window, peeking at some dried fruits. Jump lay asleep on a pillow near the writing desk. Nothing seemed out of order.

The soft lapping noise of water called Dom's attention to the privy. What he found here made the young man turn bright red with embarrassment. All he could see was the back of Kel's head, her sun lightened hair streaming over the edge of the tub. Her tanned arms rested on the ivory sides of the tub and her shoulders were slumped in a relaxed manner. Obviously the young knight was asleep in a warm bath, something that Dom was grateful for. He could now sneak out without Kel knowing he had accidentally interrupted her...naked...in a bath tub.

As Dom turned on his heel, he discovered Jump at his feet, looking up at him expectantly. Suddenly he began barking furiously at the young man, almost as if he knew Dom had stumbled onto something he shouldn't have. Dom kept trying to shuffle past the canine, but to no avail. Behind him he could hear the sound of disturbed water. The sergeant froze, knowing what would happen next.

"Sleeping in the tub is not a good thing, thanks for waking me up..." Kel began as she rapped a towel around herself, before trailing off at the sight of the back of a black haired man with a increasingly redder neck

"DOM! What are you doing in here?" Kel half shouted, marching towards the man and spinning him around.

Dom turned, keeping his eyes on his riding boots, careful not to look up.

"I came to see if you wanted to go riding...and your door was unlocked...you shouldn't leave your door unlocked Kel. Anybody could come in and interrupt you..." the young man stammered.

To Dom's horror, his neck began to incline and his eyes trailed up to meet Kel's. Before making contact, he took in her body, wrapped tightly in a white linen towel. Her legs were muscular and shapely transitioning smoothly into the curves of her hips. As Doms eyes reached her neck, he saw a scar tracing from her collar bone, disappearing underneath the towel at the center of her chest. His mind unconsciously registered that he had seen the scar briefly under her shirts, but did not know how she had come about it. Finally, his bright blue eyes met her sparking hazel ones.

"I appreciate your concern Dom, but I am not one of those petite little court flowers that you flit around. I can take care of myself. Now if you don't mind, please leave so I can get back to my day."

Dom's shoulders slumped, and his eyes fell back to his feet.

"I am very sorry Kel. Very, very sorry. If its any consolation, I didn't see anything , just your head and arms. " The young man admitted apologetically.

The sergeant turned on his heels and made for the exit. But before he could reach the door, a delicate scarred hand grabbed his arm.

"Its okay Dom, I am sorry for getting angry. I will meet you outside the stables at noon bell for a quick ride? I will pack us a lunch"

Dom nodded, trying not to display his immense happiness as he left the room.

The noon bell sounded as a nervous Domitian stood outside the stable doors. He had out his boot knife and was nervously witling down a piece of wood. He sighed and looked up to see and exquisite young woman walking towards him.

She wore a pair of tan breeches, dark, tight riding boots and a billowing sapphire blouse. The front fringe of the woman's hair was tied back, with the rest flowing down to the middle of her back. A delicate necklace of small creamy white pearls donned her neck. It took Dom a couple of moments before he realized it was Kel, indicating to him again how much she had changed in their time apart.

"You ready to ride Dom?" Kel stated as she approached shielding her eyes to get a better look at the young man.

"uhhhh yeah, lets get tacked up and head out. There is a nice reflecting pool to the northwest we can head to."

The two companions saddled their horses in silence, exiting the stables. As Kel was about to mount up, she found Dom at her side, holding his hands out indicating that he would boost her into the saddle. She nodded affirmation and he placed his hands on her leg, throwing her up and over, into the saddle. The young man did not release her leg until he had placed her foot in the stirrup, squeezing her calf as he did so. As usual, the touch of Dom sent shivers up Kel's spine. She watched as the young man swung smoothly into the saddle, patting his dapple grey gelding on the neck before they set out.

Dom was the first to breech the subject that he had in mind when he asked Kel for an afternoon ride.

"So, Kel, what is the plan? I mean the plan for Cleon?"

"To be quite frank Dom, I don't know. Neal wants us to place a listening spell on their rooms, but I think we should look towards Cleon himself, see if someone with the gift is attempting to control him. Until then, we are going to sit tight and spy only a little. We don't want the two of them getting suspicious and then running off."

"It sounds like hunting. You observe before moving in quickly."

"Exactly. There is something about that woman that makes me uneasy."

Silence lapsed between the two as they neared the trail to the forest. Dom had intended on taking Kel to his favourite quiet spot in the forest where they could talk more freely about the time they had spent apart. Kel had changed drastically and he wanted to know why.

As they neared the path, another horse whinnied behind them, causing both Kel and Dom to turn in the saddle. Riding up to them was one of the petite court flowers found throughout Corus at this time. This one had long flowing, curly brunet hair. Her skin was a creamy ivory color, without a blemish to be seen. She wore a small pink riding hat, typical of the new style. She rode side saddle, with a gorgeous blush pink gown flowing over her bay mares back. Small white cloth gloves donned her hands with a fine leather crop held in the left.

"Domition! Domition!" The young woman called, in a simpering voice.

Dom and Kel pulled their horses up, allowing the young woman (whose riding skills were less than graceful) to catch up with them.

"Ohhh Domition, I am glad I caught up with you! I assume you have been busy since your return to court and that's why you haven't come to see me yet!" Simpered the woman

She rode directly up to Dom, seized the lapels of his riding jacket and locked her lips onto his, obviously taking the man completely by surprise. His eyes still open, he reached across and seized the woman's elbows forcing her off of him.

"Lady Jane may I introduce you to my riding companion, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan" Dom motioned to Kel, as he turned increasingly redder. This was not what he expected or wanted.

Lady Jane turned ice blue eyes towards Kel, looking her up and down before returning her gaze to Dom, who was trying to move his mount away.

Kel's insides cringed. Here was the type of girl Dom was involved with. The delicate ones, not the warrior-type. The sound of the high pitched voice shook Kel back to reality.

"I am sure she won't mind if I steal you away for lunch, Dom! Surely she knows we are involved. She probably doesn't know what thats like, but I am sure she can appreciate lovers wanting to spent time with each other." Lady Jane stated reaching a hand out for Dom's face.

Kel's eyes snapped from Dom back to Jane. Hurt and fury began burning inside of her, but not reaching to the surface of her stoic facial expression. Dom said nothing, no retort in defence of his friend, confirming to Kel that he believed such a statement to be true.

"I would hate to impose." Kel stated, removing her saddle bags (containing a light lunch and a bottle of wine) off of Ironside and slinging them onto Dom's mount.

"Kel...I" Dom stammered

"I'll catch up with you later. Don't worry about it." Kel smiled, despite her insides writhing in disappointment and sadness.

Ironside began to dance, feeling the tension radiating off of his rider. Kel turned him quickly, released the reins and galloped down a different trail. This one littered with fallen trees and often used by the Riders as a difficult obstacle course.

Dom watched sadly as Kel and her mount cleared a thick fallen oak with ease, her long hair streaming behind her. Wishing he could rid himself of Lady Jane, to whom he possessed no interest in whatsoever, Dom turned to the young woman and smiled weakly.


	9. Chapter 9  New Arrival

So I wrote this late one night this week when I had a sudden burst of inspiration. If you guys do not like it let me know and I will rework it.

Tamora Pierce owns everything

Chapter 9 – New Arrival

The wind wiped her face and made the tears flowing out of her eyes stream down her face even quicker. Kel focused on the path ahead of her as it twisted and turned tightly, presenting the rider and her mount with surprising obstacles at every bend.

Ironside cleared a large fallen pine, landing in an expanse of water lying on the opposite side. Droplets flew up and hit Kel in the face, brining her back to reality. The obstacle trail began to draw to a close and Kel needed to focus. She cleared the last tree trunk and pulled up her dancing mount. Her chest heaved with exertion and disappointment. Kel was used to such comments but usually her friends would stand up for her. Dom, however, had stayed completely silent.

Suddenly emotion washed over Kel. She was alone in the forest and finally allowed herself to feel the reality of the situation. Tears began to flow heavily down her face, causing her eyes to shine with emotion.

For five minutes Kel allowed herself to cry about the comment and the recent events of her life. It wasn't that she was overly hurt, it was just the gravity of the situation coupled with everything else. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, turned down another trail and headed back to the palace at a much slower pace, her stoic mask firmly in place

As the young Knight approached the stables, she was relieved and disappointed to see that Dom's mount was still absent. He must still be out enjoying the company of the beautiful court flower Lady Jane.

Kel swiftly un-tacked her sweaty mount and led him outside, tying the beautiful stallion to a nearby fence. Re-entering the stables she retrieved a bucket of steaming water from Stefan and a bottle of cooling muscle liniment. She mixed the liquid into the water, plunging a sponge into the bucket. Slowly she wrung the sponge out over the stallions back, allowing the water to run over the sweaty saddle marks. Kel continued to rub Ironside down, wiping the mud from his legs and chest. She began untangling his mane and then poured the remaining water over his neck. Before Kel had even lowered the bucket, Irondside began to shake his head and neck, spraying the young woman with a shower of water and liniment. When he finally stopped Kel was thoroughly soaked and smelling heavily of the liniment. Nearby she heard the deep baritone laugh of her previous Knight master.

"That has happened to me on numerous occasions, you will smell like that cooling liquid for the rest of the week Kel!"

"Thanks for the warning Sir." Was the sarcastic reply

"Call me Raoul. Did you have an enjoyable ride with my Sergeant?"

"For the short amount of time we did ride together yes. The woman he is courting arrived and I graciously allowed her to take my position."

Raoul's brow furrowed. Kel's face was unreadable as always, perhaps it was his fatherly instinct that told him something was on her mind. He had always suspected that the younger Kel was taken with his over flirtatious Sergeant. However, he had always thought it was a young woman's crush, nothing serious.

And Dom, Dom had been acting strangely since he first saw Kel again as she was testing her new mount. Raoul eyed the young woman suspiciously as she wrung the water out of her hair.

"Dom was always one for the ladies. I wish I was here on a pleasant matter Kel, but alas, I am not. The King has called a surprise midnight ball tonight, in my opinion to see the panic in the eyes of the court ladies as when they find out they only have five hours to prepare. Sadly, both of our presences have been requested. "

Kel's shoulders slumped, a ball was the last thing she wanted to take part in right now. Especially because she was sure Dom would be there with the magnificent Lady Jane.

"Is it mandatory?"

After noticing the definite change in body language, Raoul replied "I am sure I can find a suitable excuse for you. How about a strained wrist from a vigorous gallop through the forest?"

Kel laughed, but the joy did not reach her eyes. "I will let you know about that. It is a pretty good cover story though. Perhaps a well rehearsed one used before?"

"Perhaps." The big man chuckled as he turned and walked away.

Kel returned Ironside to his stall, pulling an apple out of a barrel to give to the stallion. As she turned towards the door, a shadow of a bay mare and a dapple grey gelding passed by. Dom and Lady Jane were back from their afternoon together and headed back to the ladies stables. Kel waited till they passed by, and then slipped quietly away from the stables back to her rooms.

"But my Lady you have to go! I have this beautiful dress for you to wear! It will be a chance for you too see all of your friends! Most of them arrived back today." Pleaded Lalasa

"Lalasa, I have told you many times that I hate these things and if I don't have to go I will not attend!"

"I will inform the King and Queen that whatever excuse provided for you is false."

Kel stood, dumbstruck for a second. Lalasa knew her all too well. She sighed

"Touche Lalasa. I will attend. Where is this dress?"

Violin music floated lazily throughout the palace, enticing people to join the midnight ball.

Neal, Shinko, Seaver, Dom and Owen stood facing the dance floor, chatting with one another, wine glasses in hand. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire. Neal wore a sage green tunic, a billowing white shirt and black breeches. Shinko's dress was matching in color, in kimono style with a black stiff sash. Seaver donned a hunter green tunic, cream coloured shirt with full sleeves and dark brown boots. Own wore a periwinkle blue tunic, white open collared shirt and tan breeches. Dom, however, stood out from the rest in his sapphire blue tunic trimmed in silver, a crisp white shirt with full sleeves and inky black breeches.

As the group began discussing the most recent outbreak of bandits in the north, Cleon and the Lady of Kennan swept into the ballroom, clearly avoiding the companions. Neal eyed the back of the red head, glad that Kel had not shown up at the midnight ball. It would have made it even more difficult to resist pounding the man into a pulp. As Neal shook his head at the audacity of Cleon, he noticed Dom staring open mouthed at someone who had just entered.

The new comer was splendid in an emerald green gown. The dress was sweetheart shaped with a slight gathering in the center, the straps encircling the neck. The bodice of the dress hugged its wearer snugly, flaring out slightly at the hips. The bottom half of the gown was made out of an intricate lace, with a shimmery green underskirt. A simple pearl necklace with an emerald in the center donned the throat of the woman, whose hair was pinned in a sleek roll, with one strand left curled over her forehead. Pearl earbobs finished the look off.

Dom and Neal stood struck by the woman's beauty. As she turned towards a lit torch, it illuminated her face and neck. Both men gasped, as the thin collar bone scar and dreamy hazel eyes marked their close friend Kel.

Kel had nervously entered the ballroom, self conscious of the dress Lalasa had placed her in. It was way more revealing than she felt comfortable with. The looks she was receiving made her even more uneasy. As soon as she entered, curtsied to the King and Queen, Kel swept off in search of a glass of wine. She wasn't normally a drinker but tonight was the exception. After retrieving her glass, Kel noted Neal marching towards her.

"Neal, nice to..." She began then broke off as her friend seized her elbow and dragged her to a quieter area.

"Kel, he is here! And what are you wearing? I mean you look great but with Cleon here..."

"Dont worry about it Neal, please. Remember our plan to see if anyone with the gift is controlling Cleon? You told me that for those who know him well it is hard to detect the influence of the Gift as emotion can cloud the ability. Well I wrote a friend of mine for aid, they do not know Cleon and will be able to see it on him right away. He arrived here this afternoon and will be attending the ball. Trust me Neal, I have everything under control. Now we should probably mingle here as to not look suspicious." Kel linked her arm in Neal's and the two marched back to their friends.

As she greeted the rest of the group, Kel noticed uncomfortably that Dom's eyes were unblinkingly on her. It had been a very long time since Kel had seen her friends, one year to be exact.

Sever had been on northern border patrol and with the bandit population increasing, he rarely ever saw Corus. While for most, this lifestyle would have been wearing, Sever revealed in it.

Owen had been serving under Lord Wyldon in the North as well helping build new villages for the refugees that had arrived in Tortal after the war with Scanara. The young man was just a bubbly as always, enthusiastically telling Kel about his love for Wyldon's daughter, Anna.

"But Kel! What about you? We know the King sent you abroad but where?" Owen quizzed the Lady Knight excitedly

Just as Kel was about to answer, the music stopped and horns sounded. The doors to the ballroom flew open and a group of elegantly dressed men entered. One strode ahead of the others. He was a magnificent man, dressed elegantly in a charcoal coloured tunic and breeches with a flowing emerald green shirt, worn open at the chest. The colors accented tanned skin, dark flowing hair that fell to his ear lobes and dark brown eyes. A worn sword hung to his left, with a large emerald set into the top of the hilt. He turned catching the eye of Kel and nodding briefly too her with a wink.

The herald cried out as the man bowed deeply to the King and Queen. "Presenting Baldwin, the Carthaginian Ambassador and the new Lord of the Emerald Isles!"

Kel's companions eyed the new comer with curiosity. She took that moment to drift to the back of the group and edge closer to the thrones.

"Please, make yourself at home Lord Baldwin, our house is your house." The Queen stated friendly

"You are most gracious my lady, and your beauty is not done justice in the tales. I already feel at home as I see the beautiful and friendly face of your Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, a close friend of mine." Commented Baldwin

Baldwin bowed again, along with his contingent of men and began walking towards Kel.

"Lady Keladry..." Baldwin bowed

"Lord Baldwin.." Kel curtsied

The pair laughed and embraced one another, Baldwin looping his arm around Kel's waist and Kel mimicking him. The pair walked towards the drinks table to retrieve some wine.

"I am glad you were on your way here already Baldwin. I know I was vague on the details but this is important."

"Kel, for you, anything. You helped restore me to my proper position in the Emerald Isles. And have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight. And I see you wore the necklace I gave you. Good choice. So which one is he?"

Kel turned and scanned the crowd. Suddenly she saw Cleon, brooding in a corner with his wife nattering in his ear.

"Left corner, red head with the small blonde woman whispering in his ear."

Baldwin covertly glanced over at Cleon, and Kel felt the air prickle around her. He was using his gift to see if Cleon was under someone's control. After a few moments Baldwin turned back to Kel.

"He has an aura of yellow, dark magic. Its well hidden Kel, whoever is using him is very powerful. It will be hard to find out who it is. But as I will see what I can do. Now tell me Kel, who is that dark haired man who looks like he would very much like to kill me." Baldwin asked indicating Dom.

"Those are my friends, come, let me introduce you to them."


	10. Chapter 10 Jealousy is a Blue Eyed Monst

Thank you to all those who reviewed! I greatly appreciate it!

Also noticed that I referred to our newest character as the Carthaginian ambassador, when it should be Carthak. Can you tell I have Roman history on the mind (then again I always have Roman history on the mind)? And I do promise that this will turn into a Kel/Dom. Like everything else in Kel's life, this will be a trial.

Chapter 10

_**The ballroom itself was a wondrous sight, with beautiful frescos of trees, flowers, shrubs, some with birds alighting them. The floor was a composed of a rich azure blue with intertwining gold and navy blue veins. Scattered throughout the hall were tall pillars topped with thick blue candles, casting the occupants in a dramatic glow. Pages wandered throughout the crowd delivering dainties and drinks to some of the guests while the others twirled around the dance floor in a mirage of color. **_

Dom watched bitterly as the handsome Lord Baldwin embraced Keladry, bringing a smile to the young woman's face that he had not seen in ages. Who was this striking man? Forced to look away due to sheer jealousy, Dom instead began to scrutinize the latest crop of courtable ladies. Lady Winifred was stunning in deep purple, but her smile wasn't as nice as Kels. Lady Anne was a curvaceous, busty woman but she didn't look like she could handle a glaive like Kel.

Realizing what he was doing, Dom turned and snatched another drink from a passing page, wallowing in self pity. As he turned, the young man came face to face with the rugged Lord Baldwin.

"Lord Baldwin I would like to introduce you to Sir Nelean, his wife Lady Shinko, Sir Seaver, Sir Owen and Sergeant Domitian. These are some of my closest friends here in Tortall." Kel began gesturing to the group with one arm, the other resting on Baldwins elbow.

"I am pleased to meet all of you. Kel told me numerous stories about your adventures and misadventures when she spent time with me in the Emerald Isles. Especially you Neal, but she usually referred to you as meathead. " Baldwin addressed the group with a contagious smile.

Kel's friends easily began chatting with Baldwin, welcoming him into their circle with open arms. Dom occasionally entered in the conversation, but he generally was more interested in not seeing the bottom of his wine glass.

"So Baldwin, I have to ask, what do you know about Kel's exploits over the past year? You mentioned that she spent some time with you in the Emerald Isles." Owen inquired, not able to contain himself any longer.

Baldwin looked over at Kel, who simply beamed at him and shrugged. The dark man chuckled and snaked his arm around her waist.

"When I met this one, I was petitioning the Emperor Kaddar to help me seize my rightful landholdings in the Emerald Isles. About 50 years ago, my grandfather, tantalized by personal possession, squandered the wealth my ancestors had worked so hard to attain. It is expensive to keep the Isles in good working order, and without the income, major cities fell into disrepair and became more susceptible to piracy. Such was the downfall of the Emerald Isles. My father and mother had to flee to Carthak when they were young, entering under the protection of the Carthaki Emperors. My father never tried to seize back what was rightfully his, but I am a different man. I approached the Emperor with a proposition, if he helped me attain my country, then I would create a trade link between the two. He agreed under the conditions that I prove myself a worthy leader before being named the Lord of the Emerald Isles. Hence why I was the Carthaki ambassador. Kaddar wanted me groomed to have an excellent foreign policy so there can be peace."

Baldwin's audience was enthralled with the story.

"I well remember the first day I layed eyes on the Lady Keladry. She was in Carthak on a diplomatic mission, which appeared to bore her incessantly. I remember walking past a couple of practise courts at some ungodly hour in the morning and hearing the twirling of a blade. When I saw Kel performing one of her insane pattern dances, I realized I had never seen something so beautiful, and yet so deadly. I departed the practise court before she saw me and inquired with the Emperor about the young lady. The next night I was introduced. We became quite close right away as both of us have endured immense trials throughout our lives. When the recapturing of the Emerald Isles became a reality, Kel was the first to volunteer her services, which I gladly have accepted. We set sail for the Isles immediately, accompanied by the Carthaki Navy. It took 6 months to subdue the islands and all this time Kel never left my side, knowing that I would be a target for assassination. I must spare you all the details of our _adventures_, but I will say that our friendship is iron clad."

With the culmination of Baldwin's story, the group began to pester him with a barrage of questions. All except Dom, who did not enjoy the way the man had emphasized "adventures", whilst throwing Kel what appeared to be a lust filled glance.

With no end to the conversation in sight, the group took a seat at one of the numerous tables placed throughout the hall. Laughing, they talked for hours, until their table became littered with numerous empty wine pitchers, most of them drained by the swaying Dom. As the night drew to a close, the guests rose from the table, promising that they would all be seeing each other the next day for lunch in the mess and more conversation. Dom, swayed as he stood, trying to focus on Kel's face with very little luck. His jealous feelings mounted as he watched Lord Baldwin tenderly touch Kel's arm.

Everyone departed, with Kel and Baldwin heading in the same wing of the castle. Dom knew that their rooms were located in close proximity to one another, but he could not shake the feeling that the two would be spending the night together. After arriving at his own quarters, Dom threw himself angrily onto his bed, and spend a restless night tossing and turning, thinking about Kel in the arms of another.


End file.
